Necticut



H. E. LEPPERT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED nic. II, 1920.

Patend June 14, 1921.

UNITED STATES y PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. LEPPERT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, .VASSIGNOR TO THE TRUMBULL ELECTRIC MFG. CO., yOF'I?LINWTITJLE,

NECTICUT.

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F CON- ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 14 1921.

Application filed December 11,1926. Serial No. 429,908.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY E. LnPPnR'r, afcitizen of the United States of America,

residing at New Britain, Connecticut, haveY invented a new and useful Electric Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularl to snap switches of the so-called oscillating type, and the main object is to provide a simple but reliable construction which can be readily assembled without straining the parts. Another object is to provide a construction which is durable and yet easy to operate with a quick snap action.

In'the preferred form of the invention theV oscillating contact member is adapted to be operated by two push buttons, but it will be Aobvious that the invention is not limited to such a construction. It should also be understood that the invention is equally applicable to single pole or double pole switches, and to single break or double break contacts.

The `improvements relate particularly to thel construction and arrangement of the operating mechanism.

Figure 1 is a side view ot a switch embodying the improvements of my invention,

`part of the insulating receptacle being broken laway so as to reveal the interior mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a Side View and partial section of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an end view and partial transverse section of the operative mechanism on a larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the supporting frame; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the oscillating carrier.

The parts are preferably mounted in an insulating receptacle or body 6 oi' any suitable construction. One or more contacts, such as 7 of suitable character are mounted within the receptacle and adapted to be engaged by corresponding oscillating contact members, such as 8.

The contact member is suitably secured to a U-shaped carrier 9, which is supported by the frame 10 inside the receptacle. The rocker 11 has a crosspiece 12 secured to it and provided with projecting pins 13, which have bearings in the holes 14 in the opposite sides of the frame 10. The cross piece 12 also has stop pins 15 which project into the slots 16, so as to limit the swing of the rocker and'cross piece. A guide rod 17. loosely Vconnected with the lower end ot the cross piece 12 vand projecting through the bottom of the carrier 9, supports a spring 18 which presses' against the shoulder 19 and against the bottom of the carrier 9, "tending to hold the parts in position, so as to throw the carrier' and contact member with a snap action. The shoulders 20-20 serre as stops for the carrier 9. In the particular form 'shown push buttons 21-21 are connectedv in a suitable manner with the opposite ends of the rocker 11.

To operate the switch from the position shown in Fig. 1 the right-hand push button is depressed, soas to rock the arm 11 about the axis Yof the projecting pins 13 and tilt the cross piece 12 so as to push the upper end of Vthe guide rod 17 to the left, as viewed in the drawing. This compresses the spring 18 until the point oi' connection between the cross piece 12 and the rod 17 reaches the plane of the centers of the bearings of the projecting pins 13 and the axis of the'carrier 9. Further depression of the right-hand push button 21 results in the spring instantly snapping the carrier and switch contact to the other side.

The rame'l() is provided with bearing lugs 22 stamped outwardly :trom the sides thereof, and the sheared edge forming the bearing surface is Ashaped cylindrically on the surface facing toward the bearings 14. The carrier 9 is provided with semi-annular projections 23, adapted to engage the bearings 22. The projecting bearings 23 are preferably formed by piercing holes 24 and drawing part of the metal inwardly, as shown, to form the bearing surface for c0- action with the lugs 22. By this method of construction it is possible to provide smooth bearing surfaces at a minimum cost. It also provides a maximum strength for a given amount of metal.

I also prefer to so shape and proportion the parts that when they are assembled the outer faces of the bearing lugs 22 project slightly into the openings 24, as shown in Fig. 3. l

It will be seen from the foregoing that the carrier can be readily assembled on the frame by simply slipping it into position before the frame is secured in the insulating receptacle. By having the bearing project-ions 23 made semi-annular, it is not necessary to strain the sides of the carrier when assembling the parts. By making the width of the frame Vfrom the outer face of one of the lugs 22 to theV outer face of the opposite lug slightly greater than the distance between the inner faces of the side arms of the Vcarrier 9, there is a slight springing of one of the parts when assembling them, so that the bearing lugs 22 snap into the recesses 2a and hold the parts loosely together, and thus facilitate the other assembling operations.

' 4l claim:

'1. ln an. electric switch, a supporting frame having oppositely disposed bearing lugs, a U-shaped carrier having semi-annular bearing projections engaging said lugs, and means for operating said carrier with a snap action. Y

2.` ln an electric switch, a U-shaped frame, a rocker hinged thereto, a U-shaped contact carrier embracing said frame, said frame having` outwardly-projecting bearings and said carrier having inwardly-projecting semi-cylindrical bearings co-acting therewith, and a sp 'ing holding said carrier in place.

in an electric switch, supporting members having outwardly-projecting lugs, a U- shaped carrier having inwardly-projecting bearings extending around only a part of each lug. and having openings for receiving the outer faces of said lugs, and a springpressed means for oscillatingsaid carrier.

el, in anv electric switch, supporting members having outwardly-projecting lugs, a carrier having recesses with semi-cylindrical bearing projections engaging said lugs, and

spring pressed means for operating said carrier.

5. In an electric switch, a U-shaped frame having outwardly projecting lugs, a U- shaped Contact carrier having inwardly-projecting semi-cylindrical bearings engaging said lugs, a rocker, a cross piece secured thereto and pivoted in said frame, a guide rod connecting said cross piece and said carrier, and a spring onv said rod.

6. ln an'electric switch, a frame having lugs pressed outwardly from theV opposite sides thereof and forming curved bearings, a rocker pivotally supported by said frame, a U-shaped carrier having openings in its side arms to receive the outer faces of said lugs and having curved bearing projections pressed inwardly around one edge only of said openings and engaging," said lugs, and a compression spring interposed between said rocker and said carrier.

T. ln a switch, a frame having lugs pressed outwardly from opposite sides thereof, a carrier having openings to receive said lugs and semi-cylindrical bearing iianges engaging said lugs and spacing said carrier from the sides Aof said frame, a rocker pivoted to said frame, and a spring connecting said rocker and said carrier. Y

S. ln an electric switch, a supporting membei',v a carrier, one of said members having a lug stamped therefrom and providing a cylindrically shaped sheared edge bearing surface, the other of said members having a hole pierced therein and part of the metal drawn from the member and forming a semi-cylindrical drawn metal bearing surface for coaction with the sheared edge bearing surface of the lug aforesaid, and means for operating said carrier.

HENRY terreni, 

